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'Blood matching April's' found at Mark Bridger's home

A jury at Mold Crown Court has been hearing an account of Mark Bridger's movements on the day April Jones disappeared Photo: Priscilla Coleman

Blood matching that of schoolgirl April Jones was found at the home of the man accused of her abduction and murder, Mold Crown Court has heard.

The prosecution said DNA was found at various locations in Mark Bridger's house, including the hallway carpet, a washing machine, a shower curtain and in the living room.

Bone fragments were also found at the house, the jury heard, which were consistent with that of a human skull.

The court also heard that traces of April's DNA were found on tracksuit bottoms belonging to the 47-year-old.

April vanished whilst playing near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate in Machynlleth in October last year.

Her body has never been found, despite the largest search in police history.

April Jones went missing from near her home in Machynlleth in October Credit: Dyfed Powys Police / PA

On the second day of opening the case for the prosecution, Elwen Evans QC took the jury through Mark Bridger's movements on Monday 1st October - the day April disappeared - including his computer, phone, and Facebook activity, and CCTV images of him.

The jury heard that early that morning, a series of messages were exchanged between Mr Bridger and his ex-girlfriend relating to the break-up of their relationship.

Mr Bridger, who worked as a labourer, also contacted his employer to apologise, saying he couldn't get into work first thing as he 'needed to get his head around things'.

The court heard that later the same morning Mr Bridger visited council offices over a query with his council tax.

That day, Miss Evans said, Mr Bridger viewed and downloaded a series of images of local young girls, as well as viewing an indecent image online.

The court also heard more text messages were exchanged between Mr Bridger and his ex-girlfriend throughout the afternoon. It's also claimed he contacted three other women that afternoon to ask them out on dates.

Elwen Evans QC told the jury that Mr Bridger had been to a parents' evening at the same school April attended at 5.20pm on the evening she disappeared.

Afterwards it's claimed Mr Bridger approached a couple of young girls playing on their bicycles - one of whom was a friend of his daughter.

The jury was told Mr Bridger wound his car window down and invited one of them to go for a sleepover with his daughter, which she declined.

The court then heard that an eyewitness told police she saw the defendant's car pull up next to garages on the Bryn-y-Gog estate, where April was seen playing nearby.

Ten minutes later a vehicle matching the description of Mr Bridger's was seen by another witness driving past a local petrol station and then on CCTV heading out of the estate.

Miss Evans alleged it was 'obvious' that the defendant had driven out of town 'before the 999 call was made' following April's disappearance.

On the morning of October 2nd - the day after April went missing - the court heard three witnesses saw Mr Bridger carrying a black bin bag in a field near his home.

That location has been searched 'many times and in many ways', the jury heard, but officers have found nothing.

The jury heard Mr Bridger's explanation of why he stopped there was that he needed to urinate, but this was dismissed by the prosecution, who alleged he was saying it to explain away a 'potentially suspicious sighting.'

Miss Evans said that when police went into Mr Bridger's home later that day, half an hour before he was arrested, they did so searching for April.

Police stated that the house was 'uncomfortably hot', that there was a strong smell of detergent, and a smell of cleaning products, air freshener and washed clothes.

The prosecution alleges that the defendant 'took steps to carry out an extensive clean-up to try to get rid of any evidence of April from his home'.

Miss Evans claimed Mr Bridger was 'forensically aware', and 'knew how important it was from his point of view to try and get rid of any forensic scientific evidence linking him to April'.

Mark Bridger was arrested at 3.30pm on the afternoon of October 2nd, walking between Ceinws and Dyfi bridge.